Vania



(No Model.)

0. & G. MERKEL.

FOLDING DESK AND BLAGKBOARD.

Patented June 28, 18. 87;

in 0 M l *2 n. PEYERS. Fhofwlilmgrawr. Wahingtom o. c.

U ITED STATES P TENT OFFICE- CHARLES MERKEL AND GEORGE MERKEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA; SAID CHARLES MERKEL ASSIGNOR 'lO SAID GEORGE MERKEL.

FOLDING DESK AND BLACKBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,698, dated June 28, 1887.

Application filed January 81, 1887. Serial No. 226,005. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES MERKEL, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and

GEORGE MERKEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Iniprovements in Combined Folding Desk and Blackboard, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of our invention is to furnish a folding easel with a swinging blackboard and folding desk for use in schools, offices, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters indicate similar parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our easel-desk and blackboard when open; Fig. 2, a front view of the same when folded up; Fig. 3, a side view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4-, a side view of front portion of desk, showing catch for holding desk open; Fig. 5, a section of blackboard on line a: m; Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, front views of device for holding legs in place when open.

a b are the legs and c the top of the desk.

(Z is a blackboard, which is pivoted to the upper part of the legs at e.

f is a pin passing through one of the legs a to hold blackboard d in its proper position.

9 g are holes through the frame of blackboard, into which pin f passes in order to hold board in position The legs a I) are pivoted together at h, and the top 0 of the desk is carried upon arms i, which are pivoted to the legs a atj.

k is a strip which is secured to the legs 1) near their tops, and which extends from one leg to the other and which forms a rest and catch for the outer end of the desk-top c, which is furnished with a notch, Z, adapted to engage with this strip k to assist in keeping the legs a b in their proper position when the desk is open.

Both sides of the board d are furnished with with a chalkboard or book-rest, m, at its botin the sides of the frame which surrounds the board (I.

In order to turn the board d, the pin fis withdrawn from the hole 9 in said board d, when the board may be revolved upon the pivots e. The rear portion of the desk is lowered, as shown at 0, and forms a place for keeping drawing or writing materials in.

The legs b are furnished with a metal plate, p, Figs. 1 and 6, which carries the pivot 71, upon which thelegs turn. This plate 19 also carries a pin, q. The legs a are furnished with metal plates r,whieh are furnished with a hole, 8, for the passage of pivot 71-, and with a slot, it, through which pin (1 passes. The length of the slot t regulates the distance that the legs a b can be opened, and the pin q prevents these legs from fallin down when opened.

'When the des is not in use,it may be folded up by first raising the top a, turning in the legs b'until they lie alongside ofthe legs a, as shown iirFigs 2 and 3, and then dropping top 0, so that it will be parallel with said legs,as shown. When in this position, the device takes up but very little room, and with very little time and trouble it can be opened for use again.

Having thus described our invention, we

claimi The combination,with legs a b, of the blackboard d, pivoted to the said legs at 6, one side of said blackboard being furnished with a chalk-board or book-rest,m, and the other side furnished with grooves a, one side of said legs and said blackboard being furnished with holes, through which a pin, f, passes, all substantiall y as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our siguatu res in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MERKEL. GEORGE MERKEL,

\Vitnesses:

OWEN B. JENKINS, O. O. STODDARD. 

